Hegseth has been outspoken about ridding the military of so-called 'woke' policies, including diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth highlighted the role of the F-35 fighter jet and its workforce during a visit to Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant.

He's touring the country to rouse military industrial complex workers with the message "If you build it, the government will buy it."

During his remarks, Hegseth said the administration wants to re-establish America’s military might through increased defense production.

Some salute defense secretary’s actions that he says will reawaken the military’s ‘warrior ethos’ — and others, not so much

Yet Mr. Hegseth seems to believe that any criticism of him or his department is an offense deserving of punishment. His attack on Mr. Kelly's right to speak freely is un-American and blatantly partisan — and, for good measure, wildly hypocritical, given that Mr. Hegseth is on record making similar statements about unlawful military orders.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is forgoing a promised court-martialing and taking a behind-closed-doors track to attempt to punish Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). The administrative move — which seeks